Childrens' Food Preferences Influenced by Parents

Parents concerned that their kids are shunning milk and that potato chips have become the only 'vegetable' in their child's diet may want to take note of their own food preferences, according to new research .

The study, recently published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association, showed parental influence and household rules were linked with daily intake of fruit and vegetables in children aged 11-15 years.

The San Diego scientists recorded the answers to behaviour change and diet questions from 878 children and found that parents who stocked fruit and vegetables in the house and served these foods at meals and snacks had children who consumed more fruit and vegetables.

Nutrition Australia spokesperson Aloysa Hourigan said poor eating habits in childhood could have an immediate affect on growth, concentration and behaviour - and in the longer term could increase the risk of diseases like obesity and diabetes.

Ms Hourigan said: "This research is particularly valuable in that it clearly shows that children are influenced by what they see. Parents need to set a good example in what and how much they consume.

"If parents opt for junk food, children can't be expected to relish regular helpings of fruit and vegetables," Ms Hourigan said.

Previous research has shown parental habits are linked with milk intake in young children . The study, which involved 182 children aged five to nine years and their mothers, showed that milk-drinking mothers were more likely to have milk-drinking daughters.

Dairy Australia dietitian Maree Garside said: "Mums can have a positive influence on their daughters' milk and calcium intake by serving milk at meals and snacks more often. Dietary behaviours such as milk and calcium intake developed in childhood can persist into adulthood."

In Australia, more than a third of children aged four to eleven had not eaten fruit and more than 20 per cent had not eaten any vegetables, on the day prior to the last national nutrition survey . And around 50 per cent of children failed to meet their calcium needs - a nutrient essential for strong bones and teeth.

According to the San Diego study, a strong perception of benefit - such as having energy, feeling healthier and doing the body good - was often a strong motivator for kids to eat a good diet.